Improving Quality in Social Work: The Role of Peer Challenge

• Published in: The British journal of social work 2024-06, Vol.54 (4), p.1719-1736
• Main Authors: Mahesh, Sharanya, Lowther, Jason, Miller, Robin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accountability; Occupational roles; Peer relationships; Peers; Professional practice; Quality control; Shared learning; Social networks; Social work; Transparency
• ISSN: 0045-3102; 1468-263X
• DOI: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad252

Network-based approaches to improvement and specifically, peer challenges have become an integral part of quality assurance in adult social work in England. Whilst the national regulation change in 2011 placed greater weight on local accountability, very few studies have examined the contribution of peer challenges towards improving the quality of adult social work practice. Peer challenge is a process of engaging a wide range of people and experienced peers in relevant service areas to offer a review from the perspective of a critical friend. This article considers how a regional peer challenge process in the West Midlands of England contributed to improving social work practice and processes, which supported this contribution. Drawing on data from fifteen interviews and forty-four survey responses, findings suggest that peer challenges in the short term can have positive impacts including, an understanding of the internal practice conditions and external context, strengths and limitations of social work practice, and the perspectives of local stakeholders and external peers on opportunities to improve practice. The design, commitment to transparency and trust by all parties enable honest reflection and a shared learning experience. To understand long-term impacts, we suggest establishing formal follow-up processes together with developing key baseline indicators to track impacts. Adult social work practice in England has been subject to multiple forms of regulation to ensure quality of services. Whilst national bodies previously undertook top-down inspections, in 2011, the policy shifted to network approaches and local accountability. Within this new sector-led improvement, peer challenges were promoted as an effective means for identifying opportunities to improve practice. Peer challenge is a process of engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and experienced peers from relevant service areas to offer an objective review of service. There is little evidence though, on whether peer challenges contribute towards improving adult social work practice. We adopted a mixed-methods research design to examine the contribution of peer challenges and the processes involved through which these contributions may be achieved. Our findings show that in the short term, peer challenges have benefits including, an understanding of the internal practice and external contexts, strengths and limitations of social work practice, and the perspectives of external peers on o